. >> additional corporate funding for "washington week" is provided by boeing. additional funding is provided by the annenberg foundation, the corporation for public broadcasting, and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. once again, live from washington, moderator gwen ifill. gwen: good evening. nothing says bipartisan cooperation like ringing in the new year by counting down to a midnight vote to raise taxes. by the time the fiscal cliff drama drew its only temporary conclusion this week, speaker boehner was pledging not to negotiate with president obama, president obama was promising not to negotiate over the debt limit, and vice president biden seemed like the only one left in a good mood. >> public service was never meant to be an easy living. extraordinary challenges demand extraordinary leadership. so if you've come here to see your name in the lights or to pass off a political victory as some accomplishment, you've come to the wrong place. the door is right behind you. >> i think most of our members, and we are never unan